HERITAGE OF HUMAN MEMORIZATION

Emma Gallaugher

ARH 3613 | FALL 2021 | FINAL PAPER

This final paper argued that UNESCO’s criteria for heritage sites often overlooks the legacy and memorization of human life for the sake of historical, cultural,political, and architectural significance. I argued that the “negative world heritage” of such sites needs to be addressed in a way that memorializes human life and accurately portrays the narrative of tragedy in the bid and inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I specifically looked at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, and how the proposal for its inscription as a World Heritage site does not include mention of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. This massacre claimed the lives of thousands of Chinese people and the Chinese government has attempted to erase this massacre from the global public eye. Upon visiting the square, both the local population and foreigners are presented with information about the Square that does not include any information about the massacre. I argue that this failure of inclusion of the massacre in the UNESCO bid does not meet UNESCO’s objective of uniting humanity and producing peace among all nations, but undermines human experience and value.

In comparison, I look at Nuremberg, Germany, the city of the Nazi Rally Grounds, where the city has worked on an installation of plaques around the Grounds which narrate the authentic story of the site. By this, the city has worked to reconcile its history in a way that frames an understanding of human attitudes and the danger of political agendas by promoting preservation of structures of the sake of educational knowledge and understanding, over architectural merit and ignorance.

How could sites such as Tiananmen Square incorporate a program related to its negative heritage and what would that program look like?